("Seychel" means common sense, wisdom, or sharp thinking)

1. The number one reason why a Jewish person will hesitate to accept Jesus as Messiah is caught in the statement, "I don't want to stop being Jewish."

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2. If you know the pronunciation of God's personal, memorial name (YHVH), please do not pronounce it.

3. When talking about God it would be advisable to use the phrase, "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob". The Lord or Hashem are fine terms to use as well.

4. Be sensitive and polite. This may seem incredibly obvious; however, I have met far too many Believers who are insensitive, rude, and impolite when they witness.

5. TERMINOLOGY: using appropriate terminology will do much to facilitate communication and bring down barriers of misunderstanding.

6. Avoid telling jokes about Jewish people. A Gentile telling Jewish jokes is often interpreted as anti-Semitism. Tell jokes that are neutral in nature or tell jokes about you. To avoid any misunderstandings let a Jewish person tell the Jewish jokes.

7. Avoid criticizing Jewish leaders. A Jewish person might take your remarks to be anti-Semitic. Let Jewish people criticize Jewish leaders.

8. Avoid calling yourself a "spiritual Jew". This term will simply confuse the Jewish person. Just as a matter of clarification: while Gentile believers in Yeshua are "grafted in", they do not become Jewish just as Jewish believers do not become Gentile. There are no distinctions between Jew and Gentile in respect to salvation and sanctification; however, the distinction does remain in respect to heritage (just as it does in respect to gender).

9. Avoid anti-Semitic terms, ideas and beliefs. Don't dodge the issue of "Christian" anti-Semitism. Don't let yourself be intimidated by the actions of others. You are not responsible for them, only for yourself. Educate yourself about the atrocities of the past and personally repudiate them.

(Thanks to Israel Opportunities for the Sharing Seychel presented below.)

KEY

The key to sharing the gospel with Jewish people is found in the words of the Apostle Paul in I Cor. 9:20:

"To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law."

In other words, EMPHASIZE THE JEWISHNESS OF YOUR FAITH! Facts you can bring out are: "Jesus was Jewish," "Jesus spoke to a Jewish audience," "Jesus' disciples were Jewish," "the first Believers in Jesus were Jewish," or "the New Testament was written by Jewish writers."

ISAIAH 52:13 through chapter 53-Messiah suffered to atone for our sins. Note: The "Servant" could not be Israel as some contend, because in verse 8, you have "My people" (which could only be Israel!) and "He" in the same phrase. In addition, overall, the nation of Israel does not fit the description of the Servant. Note: The Spirit of God has used this chapter to bring more Jewish people to Jesus than any other passage in the Hebrew Scriptures.

ISAIAH 9:6, 7; PSALM 2:7, 8; PROVERBS 30:4-Messiah will be the Son of God.

MICAH 5:2-4-Messiah's birthplace is foretold, and He was to be "from everlasting."

ZECHARIAH 12:9-10-Both of Messiah's comings appear in this one verse. The ancient Jewish rabbinic writing, the Babylonian Talmud, states: "the cause of the mourning is the slaying of Messiah."

ISAIAH 42:6; 11:10; 49:6-Messiah will be a light to the Gentiles.

DANIEL 9:26-Messiah will be cut off before the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD.

ZECHARIAH 9:9-10-Messiah will come to Jerusalem having salvation, yet He is humble and mounted on a donkey.

Most Jewish people are not used to reading the Bible. Scriptures that are bursting with meaning to you will, most likely, not be understood by them upon their initial reading. Make sure that they understand the passage. How? By asking them questions about the passage and/or paraphrasing the verse after reading it with them. Many Believers are unaware of just how little most Jewish people know about their "own" Bible. Most of them do not know that Isaiah or Jeremiah are books of the Hebrew Bible. Therefore, when presenting a passage like Isaiah 52:13-53:12, we must tell them that this is a passage from the Hebrew Bible, written by the Jewish prophet, Isaiah, in 700 B.C.E. Do not tell them where the passage is from until after they have read it and have answered the question, "Who do you think this is talking about?" It is most effective if it is used in this manner.

TWO OF THE MOST OFTEN HEARD JEWISH OBJECTIONS

Objection #1: Our Jewish Messiah will bring world peace; there will be no more war, etc. Jesus did not do this; therefore, he could not be the Messiah.

Answer: You cannot be true to the picture of Messiah that the Hebrew Scriptures give and leave out Messiah's suffering. Then have them read Isaiah 52:13 through chapter 53 or Zechariah 12:9-10 (see above).

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Objection #2: How could Jesus be the Messiah? Look at what his followers did. The Christians have persecuted and killed the Jewish people down through the centuries.

Answer: You must show them the difference between a Gentile and a Christian. Many people follow a historical religion, but they don't know God. In order to be a Christian (telling them that the word Christian means "follower of Messiah"), one must have a spiritual birth from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Someone who has experienced this spiritual birth will not be anti-Semitic. There are rare exceptions like Martin Luther.

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HOW TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL FROM A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE